Prof. Jose Maria Sison, NDFP Chief Political Consultant
On behalf of Duterte, Panelo is trying to make acceptable the formal declaration of martial law as an instrument for saving democracy. But the historical fact is that Marcos used martial law to impose a fascist dictatorship on the people, not to save democracy.
It is bad enough that even without the formal declaration of martial law nationwide Duterte is already taking repressive measures that amount to de facto martial law and he is using this to attack the national and democratic rights of the Filipino people and to prepare the way for a full-blown fascist dictatorship
How bad is martial law under Duterte is well demonstrated by the escalation of extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations in Mindanao since May 23. 2017. Martial law is being used as a license to brutally attack the people and suppress their national and democratic rights. The people and their patriotic organizations are being attacked in order to deliver to foreign and domestic exploiters the human and natural resources of Mindanao.
Martial law and fascist dictatorship are not effective means of destroying the revolutionary movement but generate the conditions of unbridled greed and terror which in turn drive the people to rise up in armed revolution. The Marcos dictatorship was an effective stimulus to the growth in strength and advance of the revolutionary movement. From only 300 fighters in 1972, the NPA would grow in strength to thousands during the Marcos fascist regime.
The very attempt of Duterte to realize fascist dictatorship through de facto or formal nationawide martial law provides the people and their revolutionary movement another excellent opportunity to grow in strength and advance towards the overthrow of the ruling system of big compradors, landlords and corrupt government officials like Duterte.
The mad scheme of Duterte to impose nationwide martial law and a fascist dictatorship is a manifestation of the chronic crisis and decomposition of the semicolonial and semifeudal ruling system. The ruling classes in the Philippines continue to be unable to rule in the old way and thus impose the open rule of terror on the people. The people therefore fight back. And their revolutionary forces continue to grow in strength and advance on the road of armed revolution.###
